Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc. (Astellas) and the Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP) announced the recipients of the second CNTRP Astellas Research Innovation Grant Competition. The grant recipients each received $25,000 to support peer-reviewed pilot research projects that align with a key strategic research priority for the CNTRP in the area of personalized medicine approaches in transplantation to improve health outcomes. Astellas congratulates this year’s recipients:

Dr. Simon F. Dufresne; Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC; Study Title: A comprehensive model to predict the risk of invasive aspergillosis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; New CNTRP study within Project 5

Dr. Todd Lowary; University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB; Study Title: Evaluation of a glyconanotechnology tool for personalized ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation; New CNTRP study within Project 4

Dr. Banu Sis; University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB; Study Title: A 34-gene signature diagnostic test to determine the individualized likelihood of antibody-mediated rejection and kidney transplant failure using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy samples: a multicenter external validation study; New CNTRP study within Project 3

“These projects are important new pieces to the CNTRP and will have significant impact on both solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients,” says Dr. Lori West, director of the CNTRP and director of the Alberta Transplant Institute. “This new funding will allow these investigators to integrate their research into the CNTRP structure, enabling them to leverage the full resources of the network to translate personalized medicine innovation into clinical practice. We are very grateful for the ongoing support from Astellas that is helping the CNTRP achieve its goal of addressing the critical gaps and barriers to effective transplantation for Canadians.”

Building on this successful partnership, Astellas and the CNTRP also announced the launch of the 2016 CNTRP Astellas Research Innovation Grant Competition and provide funding to support three new $25,000 pilot grants. In addition, the CNTRP is pleased that the Alberta Transplant Institute (ATI), The Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montreal (CHUM), and the University Health Network Multi-Organ Transplant Program (UHN MOT) will provide additional regional awards to each of their respective local transplantation research communities.

“Astellas is proud to continue to support the CNTRP, an organization with a rich history of producing high quality scientific research,” said Fran Paradiso-Hardy, senior director of Medical Affairs, Astellas. “Through these strategic collaborations, we are building on a commitment to support the transplant research community with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life and survival of Canadians receiving transplants.”

The Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP) is a national initiative designed to increase organ and tissue donation in Canada and enhance the outcomes and quality of life of Canadians who receive transplants. The research goals of the CNTRP are to increase the availability of transplants, extend the longevity of grafts, improve the long-term survival and quality of life of transplant patients, develop and enhance the pool of researchers and clinicians in the field of transplantation and donation, integrate and coordinate transplantation research nationwide.